Space Science School for Moree?

Moree in regional NSW is best known for two things: wheat and space exploration.

The town has a long history with space, the pictures of the first landing on the Moon, Apollo 11, Artemis’ brother ship, were directly beamed from Antenna One, Moree OTC, to the world. 

While the Moree OTC station is now decommissioned, the site is 20 minutes from SpacePort Australia®. SpacePort Australia® has three main areas of research interest: space medicine, human factors, and humans in the space environment.

With an eye on the next generation of space personnel and problem solvers, key SpacePort figure Dr Gabrielle Caswell has formed several space education and training partnerships, including The Montana Spaceport and Test Range® and Arkisys®, international STEM educators AICompanyUSA©, ChameleCo® and STEM Innovation Council.

The concept of a Space Science School: Engagement, Education. Academic to Manufacturing, shortened to the ‘Triple S Atom Project’ (SSS-AtoM©) is now being forwarded. The SSS-AtoM project is a joint initiative with space science educators One Giant Leap Australia.

The space economy dovetails with the technological economy, and for the next two upcoming generations of Australians to take part, opportunities need to be created, and focus broadened to all areas where young people can be involved. The SSS-AtoM project will seek to provide Australian youth and communities avenues for space skills training, from robotics, to podcasting and media, to orbital mechanics and mission control. The SSS-AtoM project has already attracted the interest of three universities, and a number of commercial partners.

One Giant Leap Australia and SpacePort Australia have constructed a NSW parliamentary e-petition for use of the Couralie, Carol Avenue decommissioned high school in Moree, NSW as a site for the space school. NSW residents can sign the e-petition for the decommissioned school to become the Space Science School.

Dr Caswell, a rural medical practitioner, who continues to work in the practices she established over 20 years ago, has unique operational insight into the challenges of providing medical care for remote locations, a distinct advantage when understanding the operational space environment.

Dr Caswell said she is excited to be mapping out academic and operational training pathways, and youth engagement strategies. “The STEM opportunities are enormous in the space industry, as I remind people what we have down here, they will want up there. And the challenge of keeping humans alive in space is just starting; deep space is a very different environment from Low Earth Orbit.”

SpacePort Australia® is working with Arkisys®, to repurpose the International Space Station (ISS) Astrobees from maintenance robots to medical assistants and with Aexa Aerospace to create the holographic doctor, The Hamilton Project.